TY - JOUR
T1 - Proposing Multiregional Diagnostic Reference Levels for Common CT Angiography Examinations in Saudi Arabia
AU - Alhailiy, Ali
AU - Alkhybari, Essam
AU - Alshuhri, Mohammed
AU - Al-Othman, Abdullah
AU - Hegazi, Tarek
AU - Alsuhaimi, Mohammed
AU - Alghamdi, Sultan
AU - Alenazi, Khaled
AU - Alashban, Yazeed
AU - Alghamdi, Sami
AU - Quzi, Omar
AU - Jaafari, Osama
AU - Alajlani, Saleh
AU - Masmali, Abdulrahman
AU - Hadi, Yasser
AU - Manssor, Elbagir
AU - Mahmoud, Mustafa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/7
Y1 - 2024/7
N2 - Objectives: Diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) are crucial tools for optimizing radiation exposure during different radiological examinations. This study aimed to establish preliminary DRLs for commonly performed computed tomographic angiography (CTA) examinations in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Data for three types of CTA examinations (cerebral, pulmonary, and lower-extremity) were collected from six medical cities across Saudi Arabia. Data sets related to 723 CTAs with a mean patient weight of 75 kg were analysed in detail. The DRL values were determined based on the 75th, median, and 25th CT dose index volume (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) values. Results: The established DRLs were 1221 mGy cm for cerebral CTAs, 475 mGy cm for pulmonary CTAs, and 1040 mGy cm for lower-extremity CTAs. These values were comparable to those reported in other studies. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary DRLs for three common CTA procedures in Saudi Arabia. The widespread implementation of a low kVp and a high level of image reconstruction (IR) presents an opportunity for further dose reduction. These findings can serve as a foundation for future nationwide DRL surveys and the optimization of CTA imaging protocols in Saudi Arabia.
AB - Objectives: Diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) are crucial tools for optimizing radiation exposure during different radiological examinations. This study aimed to establish preliminary DRLs for commonly performed computed tomographic angiography (CTA) examinations in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Data for three types of CTA examinations (cerebral, pulmonary, and lower-extremity) were collected from six medical cities across Saudi Arabia. Data sets related to 723 CTAs with a mean patient weight of 75 kg were analysed in detail. The DRL values were determined based on the 75th, median, and 25th CT dose index volume (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) values. Results: The established DRLs were 1221 mGy cm for cerebral CTAs, 475 mGy cm for pulmonary CTAs, and 1040 mGy cm for lower-extremity CTAs. These values were comparable to those reported in other studies. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary DRLs for three common CTA procedures in Saudi Arabia. The widespread implementation of a low kVp and a high level of image reconstruction (IR) presents an opportunity for further dose reduction. These findings can serve as a foundation for future nationwide DRL surveys and the optimization of CTA imaging protocols in Saudi Arabia.
KW - CT dose index volume
KW - computed tomographic angiography
KW - diagnostic reference levels
KW - dose length product
KW - multi-detector CT
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85199589870&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/diagnostics14141523
DO - 10.3390/diagnostics14141523
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85199589870
SN - 2075-4418
VL - 14
JO - Diagnostics
JF - Diagnostics
IS - 14
M1 - 1523
ER -